Hays County shatters largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases with 82 new diagnoses

Hays County reported its largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases with 82 new diagnoses, which nearly doubles the previous record. 

The Hays County Local Health Department states that there are 306 active cases and there have been 574 total cases since the first virus diagnosis in the county on March 14. 

“We know today’s COVID-19 numbers are staggering,” county Epidemiologist Eric Schneider said in a statement. “This latest report shows the virus is spreading rapidly in the 20-29-year-old range. That age group accounted for 42% of today’s cases.” 

While the county officially reported 82 cases, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said in a social media post that the county actually had over 100 confirmed positive cases reported Thursday. He added that the county’s epidemiology team was only able to enter 82 cases. 

There were an additional six recoveries from the disease reported Thursday, marking 263 total recoveries. The county also saw three new hospitalizations reported Thursday. There are now 13 county residents hospitalized by the coronavirus and there have been 42 total hospitalizations. 

Hays County has had five reported COVID-19-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the disease.  

The local health department has now received 4,628 negative test results and is awaiting results on 61 tests, according to Schneider. 

San Marcos reported its largest single-day increase in virus cases with 68 newly diagnosed residents. San Marcos currently has 135 active cases and has had 216 total cases. 

Kyle recorded eight new cases Thursday and now has 119 active cases and has had 246 total cases. Buda tallied four new cases, raising its total case count to 70 and active case count to 36. Niederwald added two new cases, increasing its total case count to four and active count to two. 

Wimberley has had 13 coronavirus cases and has five active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 10 total cases and has four active cases. Austin, within Hays County has had 10 total cases, including five active cases.  Driftwood has had two total cases. Bear Creek, Uhland and Maxwell have each had one case. 

Over 50 county residents between the ages of 20-29 years old were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday. Two-hundred-thirteen patients fall in the 20-29-year-old age range. 

One-hundred-two patients are between 30-39 years old. Eighty-three residents fall in the 50-59-year-old age range. Sixty-five people diagnosed with the disease are 40-49 years old. Thirty-eight patients are 60-69 years old, 26 are between 10-19 years old, 22 are 70-79 years old, 15 are 80 and older and 10 are 9 years old or younger. 

Three-hundred-twenty females and 254 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

“We also implore everyone to continue to think twice before leaving the house,” Schneider said. “Is whatever you’re doing worth the risk?

Additionally, Hays County recently began reporting a breakdown of cases by ethnicity and race. According to the local health department, 53% of county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are Hispanic, while 33.8% are non-Hispanic and 13.2% are not specified. 

By race, 75.9% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 21.1% are unknown or not specified and 2.2% are black. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Wednesday that 81,583 Texans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and there have been 1,920 fatalities. The DSHS estimates that 52,449 Texans have recovered from the disease.

COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks for most people.